Combustion device for fuel oils



June 24, 1958 H. SCHMITZ COMBUSTION DEVICE! FOR FUEL OILS Filed s t. 20, 1954 Fio. 1

: m /MJ Rm D-W United States Patent COMBUSTION DEVICE FOR FUEL OILS Henri Schmit'z, Vanves, France Application September 20, 1954, Serial No. 457,222

Claims priority, application France September 21, 1953 4 Claims. (Cl. 158-4) This invention is concerned with a combustion device adapted to be fed with fuel-oils or the like, which is simple, economical, sturdy and characterized by a high degree of efliciency, while requiring neither blowing means nor atomizing means, and is furthermore adapted to be mounted at low cost on existing boilers or the like. With the present device, it is possible to use any fuels from the heaviest to the lightest oils, as well as engine crankcase oils, anthracene oils, having a flash-point higher than 60 C. i

The device according to this invention consists essentially of the following principal components:

(1) A motor, possibly with a speed variator of the type either adapted to cause the motor velocity to be varied electrically, or to change mechanically the speed of the fuel-carrying member, as will be later. explained.

(2) A toothedmember in meshing engagement with chains secured to the fuel-carrying member.

(3) An incombustible fuel-carrying member, consisting for example:

(a) Of an endless plane lattice or mesh belt of incombustible material forming a yielding or'chain-like structure in the longitudinal direction and rigid in the transverse direction, the links, of any desired and suitable shape, having dimensions varying according to the viscosity of the fuel employed; or alternately (b) Of an endless belt consisting of a pair of lateral chains driven and interconnected by transverse bars of which the relative spacing is subordinate to the viscosity of the fuel employed and on which is secured, withou being stretched, a mesh belt.

'(4) A device for continuously feeding the fuel-carrying member and including a constant-level vat in which the fuel-carrying member is dipped and soaked as it is driven by the said driving members. V

(5) Air inlet means and draught means in the combustion chambers;

(6) Open-work belt-carrying rollers permitting the passage therethrough of the oxygen required for the combustion which are constructed so as to avoid the extinction of the flame on the endless belt (for example spaced aligned disks mounted on a common shaft).

(7) Inclined planes positioned beneath the combustion chamber to enable any excess fuel to-fl'ow'back to the aforesaid vat.

The fuel-laden endless belt enters the boiler along a rising path and then follows a downward, preferably oblique direction during the ignition and firing portion of its path through the boiler; then the endless belt may continue its movement in the combustion chamber along another rising portionas required for burning the whole fuel carried thereby, and finally it travels out-of the boiler to the fuel-loading position.

Z,$4ll,144 Patented June 24, 1958 Preferably, the fuel-carrying member consists of a plane endless belt made either of links of any desired and suitable shape, for example square, rectangular,- round, polygonal, etc. or of a wire-netting whose links are hingedly interconnected in the longitudinal direction, for example a structure comprising yielding ropes or chains in the longitudinal direction and wires in the transverse direction.

The arrangement may also comprise a plurality of parallel endless belts.

Preferably, the air inlets to the boiler are kept to the minimum consistent with the combustion oxygen requirements.

The total useful surface of the firing endless belt is increased by providing' notched driving drums, the belt being suspended freely between adjacent notches.

Other details and advantages of the invention will appear clearly as the following description proceeds with reference to the attached drawings forming part of the specification and showing diagrammatically by way of example a few forms of embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure l is a verticaltransverse section showing a form of embodiment of the device of this invention used with a boiler. 7

Figures 2 and 3 are detail views showing in longitudinal section and in plan view respectively a fragment of an endless belt, and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatical view showing a modified belt construction and belt-driving means.

Referring to'Fig. 1, there is shown a boiler 1 provided with a vat 8 in the lower zone thereof for which fuel may be supplied by any suitable means 8A so as to maintain a predetermined minimum level therein. The vat is located in a fuel feeding chamber 53 and this chamber is separated from combustion chamber 54 by means of partitions 35.

Mounted within the combustion chamber 54 on either side of the vertical median line of the boiler are transverse shafts 2, 3 and 24 and on each shaft is mounted for free rotation, openwork rollers 25, 26 and. 28, respectively and each set or group of rollers serves to guide an endless belt 4a driven by a, drum 36 having its axle disposed horizontally in the'fuel feeding chamber and parallel to the axes of the shafts carrying the respective The shafts 2 and 3 are so disposedwith respect tothe shaft 24 that the belt follows an upward path as it enters the chamber 54, then a first downward path having its lower portion inclined to the vertical of the upper portion of the path between the rollers 2 and 3, then another upward path between the roller 3-and the shaft 24'and the downward path between the shafts 2 and 3 and the upward path between the shafts 3 and. 24 constituting the combustion zone. The belt 4a passes downwardly from the shaft 24 through the duct 41 and about the'dru'm 36' in the vat 8 of the feeding chamber 53. The distance between'the rollers 26 and 28 is such as to permit the complete combustion of the fuel entrained in the belt to avoid the formation of carbon deposits and this is achieved by mounting the shafts 3 and 24 in slots 45 and 46 respectively thereby enabling such shafts to be adjusted horizontally.

The distance between the ascending or fuel-soaked sides of the belts may be reduced to a minimum and baffle means 42 maybe provided above the rollers 25 to assist in concentrating the flames towards the ascending sides of the belts and the boiler walls. It will be noted that combustion air enters the chamber 54 through slots 52 formed in the partitions 35' and the air' admitted in a known manner from the draft inlet of the boiler ,(not shown) follows a generally vertical path as indicated by. "the arrows F towards the bafiie 42 with some of the air. being directedtoward that part of the belt between'therollers 25 and, 26 as indicated by the arrows.

The hearth-forming area of the belt or belts 4a may be increased by utilizing, as shown in Fig. ,4, a, driving 'drum formed with peripheral notches or grooves 37 engaged by the transverse bars 38 of the endless belt 4a shown: in Figures 3 and 4; a wire-netting consisting for example of yielding longitudinal ropes 39 interwoven ,or interlaced with wires 40 (Fig 3) may be secured Qthroughany adequate means on these bars 38 and the latter may engage the notches 37 with their end portions;

moreover,,the, belt 411 may hang freely between two adjacentbars, thereby increasing the,heating surface (see Fig. 4).

Itis evident that many modifications maybe brought to the constructional details, proportions and dimensions of the, devicedescribed hereinabove, according to the type of boiler to, be equipped, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

Whatl claim is:

Q 1. A combustion device for fuel oils comprising a boiler, means forming a fuel feeding chamber at the bottom of said ,boiler, means forming I a combustion chamber'in theupper part of said boiler, a fuel oil vat in said fuel feeding chamber, ameans to supplyjfuel oil to said vat to at least a minimum level therein, at least one driving drum having a horizontal axis mounted in ;said vat with at least apart of the drum periphery beneath said minimum levcl,a partition separating said vat from said combustion chamber, atleast one set of'three guiderollers with horizontal and parallel axes mounted in said combustion chamber, the second roller of the set, being located at a level lower than the first roller, the

distance between the vertical planes passing through the horizontaland parallel axes of said first and second rollers being lower than the total amount of these roller radii, and the third roller being located at a higher level than the first roller, at least one endless incombustible mesh .belt

level 'and passing on said guide rollers Within the combustion chamber so as to follow an upward path as it enters the combustion chamber, then a first downward path having its lower portionin clined to the vertical of e the upper portion between said first and, said second rollers,

then another upward path between said second and said third rollers, said first downward and other upward paths constituting the combustion zone, then a second downward path towards said vat, slot-like apertures in said A partition for permitting thepassage of said belt therethrough, air-supply slots in said partition adjacent said first downward path of said belt, means for driving said drum, and bathe means in said combustionchamber for directing the flames onto the belt paths corresponding to said combustion zone. t i

2. A combustiondevicefor fuel oils comprising a boiler, means forming a fuel feeding chamber at the bottom of said ,boiler, means forming a combustion chamber in the upper part of said boiler, a fuel oil vat in said fuel feeding chamber, afmeans to supply fuel oil to said I vat to at, least a minimum level therein, two driving drums with horizontal axes positioned on either side of the vertical median plane of the boiler'and mounted in said *vat with at least a part of each drum periphery being beneath said minimum level, a partition separating said vat from said combustion chamber, two sets of three guide rollers mounted in said combustion chamber and v 4 positioned on either side of the vertical median plane of the boiler, the roller axes in each set being horizontal and parallel, the second roller of each set being located at a lower level than the first roller, the distance between the vertical planes passing through the horizontal and parallel axes of said first and second rollers being lower than the total amount of the radii of these rollers, and the third roller of each set being located at a higher level than the first roller, two endless incombustible mesh belts located within said boiler, on either side of the vertical median plane 7 of the boiler to constitute carriers for said fuel oil, each mesh belt passing about the drum located on the corresponding side of the vertical median plane of the boiler to be driven and immersed into said vat under said minimum level and passing about the three guide rollers set within the combustion chamber on the corresponding side of the vertical median plane of the boiler so as to follow an upward path asthe belt enters the combustion chamber, then a first downward path having its lower portion inclined to the vertical of the upper portion between said first and said second rollers, then anotherupward path between said second and said third rollers, said first downward and other upward paths constituting the combustion zone, then a second downward path towards said vat, slot-like apertures in said partition for permitting the passage of said belts therefeeding chamber, a'means to supply fuel oil to said vat to at least'a minimum level therein, atlea'st time driving drum with a horizontal axis mounted in saidvat with at least a part of the drumperiphery being beneath said minimum level, said drum' comprisingfflanges Ihaving formed in their marginal portions spaced notchesfa partition separating said vat from said combustion chamber, at least one set of three guide rollers with horizontal and parallel axes mounted in said combustion chamber, the second roller being located at a lower level than the first roller, the distance between vertical planes passing through the horizontal and parallel axes of said first and second rollers being lower than the total amount of the radii ,of these rollers and the third roller being situated at a higher level than the first roller, at least one endless incombustible mesh belt located within said boiler to constretched on said rods, said rods being adapted to engage with their end portions said notches on the flanges of said drum, said mesh belt passing on said drum to be driven and immersed into said vat under said minimum level and passing on said guide rollers within said com- -;bustion chamber so as to follow an upward path as the belt enters the combustion chamber, then a first downward path having its lower portion inclined to the vertical of the upper portion between said first and said second rollers, then another upward path between said second and said third rollers, said first downward and other upward paths constituting the combustion zone, then a sec- "ond downward path towards said vat, slot-like apertures 1 in said partition for permitting thevpassage of said belt therethrough, air-supply slots in said partition adjacent 1 said first'downward path of said belt, means for driving said drum, and baffie means in said combustion chamber 4 for directing the flames onto the belt paths corresponding to said combustion zone.

combustion device for fuel oils comprising a boiler, means forming a fuel feeding chamber at the bottom of said boiler, means forming-a combustion chamber in the upper part of said boiler, a fuel oil vat in said fuel feeding chamber, a means to supply fuel oil to said vat to at least a minimum level therein, two driving drums having each a horizontal axis positioned on either side of the vertical median plane of the boiler and mounted in said vat with at least a part of each drum periphery being below said minimum level, each drum comprising flanges having formed in their marginal portions spaced notches, a partition separating said vat from said combustion chamber, two sets of three guide rollers mounted in said combustion chamber and positioned on either side of the vertical median plane of the boiler, the axes of the rollers being horizontal and parallel in each set, the second roller of each set being located at a level lower than that of the first roller, the distance between the vertical planes passing through the horizontal and parallel axes of said first and second rollers being lower than the total amount of the radii of these rollers and the third roller of each set being located at a level higher than the first roller, two endless incombustible mesh belts located within said boiler, on either side of the vertical median plane of the latter to constitute carriers for said fuel oil and movable through said feeding and combustion chambers, each endless belt consisting of two lateral endless chains, rods bracing said chains and an endless incombustible Wirenetting stretched on said rods, said rods being adapted to engage with their end portions said notches on the flanges of said drums, each mesh belt passing on the drum situated on the corresponding side of the vertical median plane of the boiler to be driven and immersed into said vat under said minimum level and passing over the three guide rollers set within the combustion chamber on the corresponding side of the vertical median plane of the boiler so as to follow an upward path as the belt enters for permitting the passage of said belts therethrough, airsupply slots in said partition adjacent said first downward path of each belt, means for driving said drums, and baffle means in said combustion chamber for directing the flames onto the belt paths corresponding to the combustion zones.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 537,796 Altschul Apr. 16, 1895 619,715 Bright Feb. 21, 1899 866,115 Dock Sept. 17, 1907 2,291,046 Lange July 28, 1942 

